Dumfries Half 2018

I signed up for the Porty party bus a few weeks ago intending to do this club champs counter, then Mary recently decided she might do it as well. Every race she has targeted this year has been a DNS due to injuries and the like. So I warned Willie last Wednesday, I may be on the bus yet, but that Plan A was Mary driving us down on Saturday evening. We had booked a B&B.

Mary had done a 13 miler a week or 2 ago to make sure she would manage the distance. Surprisingly she hadn't pulled or hurt anything and it looked like she may actually get to the start line. We drove down on a lovely afternoon and I was trying not to resent the butterfly hunting time spent on what was a very pleasant run down through Broughton (the 2 Breweries race not long finished) and Moffat to Dumfries. It takes a couple of hours but always feels longer because it's on small twisty roads.

obvs some rally in Dumfries

We parked up, dropped off kit and went out to find an Indian Restaurant. We had printed out google maps of the town but not large enough scale for street names to show. So had to find the river and navigate from that. And ask a Policewoman to direct us to an Indian Restaurant we were failing to find.

Burns statue

The meal was good although the place was a bit understaffed on the busiest night of the week. We were very restrained about alcohol intake (a pint of lager each: soaked up by a good load of curry) and went to bed not long after 10pm. Unfortunately there was an irregular knocking in the central heating pipes (we were in the budget basement dungeon) and despite us trying all sorts we couldn't get it to stop all night. Although I got off to sleep when I woke slightly throughout the night I could hear it clacking and tapping and had memorised the 2 minute pattern of 3 sec intervals 12 sec intervals and several 36 sec intervals before it returned to 3 secs. You had to get off to sleep during the longer intervals. Mary also suffered and we woke the next day a bit frazzled. However the sunny weather cheered me up as did a full Scottish breakfast followed by a couple of slices of toast. M had porridge and toast.

this was just about settled by mile 2

We saw the Porty bus arrive, but dodged into registration before the crowds. There was a brass band playing all sorts of jolly tunes, and they were still there until the last competitors crossed the finish line. My memory of this event from the last time it was a Porty champs race in 2013 (blog here) was that it was very well organised by Dumfries runners and worth supporting. And so it proved to be again. Although the course had been changed from downhill and fast, to downhill then back up hill again. And er... not so fast. In some ways this saved finding out how much things have deteriorated since last time, as one could blame the inevitable decline on the course which not only had to come back up the hills but also into the wind. On the upside, scrabbling around for the positive here, there were excellent facilities in the campus, such as showers and a cafe. So it made sense to finish here. And it was scenic. Just not fast.

Olly and I had matching Hoka Clifton 5s

Chris's first race back after injury.

This was an interesting group: Chris, Craig and I ran alongside the dude in the Eden Runners vest for the first half. While David was up with the front pack he hadn't hared off at the start and perhaps paced it better as a result. I remember reining it in last time here, which resulted in a pb of 1.19. I wasn't as fit this time and wouldn't be doing anything like that today, but felt fairly relaxed and carried the camera to take pics, similar to last time. I didn't feel there was much pressure to do anything other than enjoy it.

making the lads smile by taking a photo of my ear

By mile 2 I was sweating a lot and felt it was a faster pace than I was completely comfortable with, but reluctant to fall back from the group I was with. Then things shifted slightly and my breakfast maybe settled. Whatever it was, by mile 3 I was feeling better. I could hear from Craig's breathing he was working hard and suspected it might be him rather than myself who would be first to drop back.

It was really hot with the sun blasting down in our faces. The wind was with us so didn't help to cool things, and on the few occasions we went under trees you could feel the benefit of the shade instantly. I tried not to think of the second half and the hills.

A nice distraction was loads of butterflies which appeared as the day warmed up. One (a white of some description) flew over the wall and between Chris and I. I took several photos and I could see his look of WTF? I only had the breath to say "butterflies! hobby!"

The mile markers were spot on according to my gps

Our group overhauled this local lad who had maybe started ambitiously. I was very pleased I hadn't: I always used to start a half marathon about the same pace as a 10k, then inevitably struggle to hold my position towards the end. The alternative: starting moderately and then overtaking others in the last miles, is a LOT better, physically and mentally. 

There was a bit of headwind along the flat section to Glencaple. I was glad to have the Eden runner (broad chap!) ahead and there might have been a slight bit of drafting at times. In fact he appeared totally solid in pace and stature and it was something of a surprise when Chris and I dropped him around the 8 mile mark. 

Up until this point we had covered the same ground as 2013, or very similar. However we now turned off and up a long up-hill. It looked fairly unpleasant but I soldiered on hoping all the hilly cycle rides we've been doing would give me an advantage. Chris pulled away for the first time and I felt it would be dangerous and/or impossible to try and match his pace. I watched him pick off at least 2 runners over the next mile. 

Just near the summit there was a marshal who recognised me and asked was I a Buchanan. I said I was and he said he was Jim Buchanan. I thanked him for marshalling as I did all the DRC runners who were spread along the course and most encouraging. I had met Jim on a couple of occasions at the cross country, and on the last, which I think was 2016, he whipped my sorry ass! (In my defense I had had a recurrence of a Lyme Disease episode, but I would say the real reason was Jim was in tremendous form then, winning a place in the Masters National team.) It was very welcome to get his encouragement here, as those hills were fairly taxing, esp into a headwind.

I overtook a couple of folk and wondered how many I could reel in before the end. This kept me focussed as did the possibility of being 3rd counter in the PRC team. The downside of not starting at the front is not knowing how many from what club are ahead. I spent a while catching a young dude and suggested he draft me and we move forward together, but he was spent. The next guy was in a Dumfries vest and working hard. I think he heard me coming and fought to stay alongside. He ran with a heavy step and I heard his footfalls all the way up the hill to mile 12. He worryingly looked like he might be in my age group and was looking very determined if a bit knackered. The next dude was another youngster and I had seen him stop and walk a couple of times. I told him to get it together as we only had a mile to go. He started running and overtook me but within half a mile was walking again. 

older gent

young walker

I had noticed on the way out, that from mile 12 it was flat or downhill on the return. This was extremely welcome after all that ascent. Mile 11~12 had gone on for an age but Mile 12~13 seemed half that distance and all of a sudden the college entrance was coming up and I could hear the cheers of the finish line. I raised the pace in case anyone behind was sprinting for the line and managed to just get under the 1.27 mark. I didn't realise until I saw the results that the older Dumfries runner WAS in my age group and was only 16 seconds behind. He won't have been pleased to have dropped that place in the final miles, and he didn't give it away lightly. 

David had run an incredible 1.17 

moving from 4th to second in the final stages

Very shortly after I crossed the line a wealth of Porties were finished too. David was next, then Neil, neither of whom I'd seen since the start. Willie had doubted whether 90mins was possible today and with a tremendous effort, proved it was. Craig had had a tough time with his hip giving him trouble. Chris, after pulling away on the hills had continued to make great progress through the field and finished in 1.24 and seventh place. The three of us made first team.

Aileen - too cool for colour

proper effort

There were team photos and everyone enjoyed hanging about in the glorious tropical weather. The goody bags would shame Edinburgh marathon and the likes, giving out medals, drinks bottles and a good selection of yoghurt and yoghurt drinks as well as a couple of chocolate bars. I'd anticipated heading straight for a shower and getting back out to see Mary finish. She was not racing so much as just getting round, and I knew after a disturbed night it would be a slowest ever half. However the sun being out I postponed the shower and she appeared, as predicted, just over 2hrs, but smiling and enjoying the Porty cheers.

The showers were hot even for the last runners and the band played on. The results and prizegiving included West District prizes and it wasn't too long before that all took place. I won first in my age group as did Willie. David got prizes for second and for first team with Chris and myself.

I'd highly recommend this event. You can tell it was well organised by runners for runners and not like some of the races you go to (in larger places) organised by businesses to line their pockets with consideration for the runners very much second place. Big thanks to Dumfries for putting on a quality event. If you have to run on tarmac, (and I'm not sure I have to!), then you can't do better than this Half Marathon.

The course previously came south the same way then followed the riverside back into Dumfries. The last 5 years it has turned East at Glencaple and returned over the first 3 miles. 

not the fastest course but for a road half, very scenic!

the drive home was also in beautiful weather